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Exegetical Theology: Reading the Psalms Together—Psalms 1 and 2
How do you read the Psalms? That question could be answered in a number of ways, but it’s probably safe to say that most Christians’ experience of the Psalms goes something like this: Choose a psalm, read (or pray or sing) the words, ponder and meditate on them for any length of time, and then move on with other meditation or with the rest of your day.
In some ways this reading of individual psalms in isolation only makes sense, because the book of Psalms is unique among the books of Scripture: It did not originate as a single document written by a single author, nor were these songs composed with the idea that someone would sing through them all from start to finish in one sitting; rather, the Psalter is a collection of songs written by multiple authors, both known and unknown, covering the span of a millennium.[1]
Despite all this, these blessed songs have been handed down to the Church over many centuries, not as a random collection haphazardly thrown together, but as a single collection of songs that was compiled and arranged with great care and thought. The child of God who turns to the Psalms intending to soak up as much as they have to offer would do well to keep this arrangement in mind.
This series of articles on reading the Psalms together will look at the benefits and insights that can be gained from a more wholistic reading of the Psalms, that is, reading psalms in light of other psalms and considering the broader connections they share, the themes that are developed between them, and the larger narrative that unfolds as one reads through the Psalter from beginning to end.
This month we’ll compare Psalms 1 and 2. Before continuing with the rest of this article, read through them either in translation or in the origin to see what connections you can find between them.
Since the early church, Psalms 1 and 2 have been linked together, and their pairing has been likened to “bookends or brackets” and to a tailor stitching these two psalms together to provide an interpretive code for all the psalms that follow.[2] When these two psalms are considered together, the key themes that will permeate the rest of the Psalter rise to the surface: Despite all the opposition encountered on the way, he alone is truly blessed who spurns the company of the wicked and refuses to join in their rebellion against the Lord (Ps 1:1; 2:1-3), instead delighting in the Word of the Lord and submitting to his Anointed (Ps 1:2-3; Ps 2:10-12). Only by following the way of the Lord, and thus avoiding the way of the wicked, will the righteous man find refuge rather than judgment and destruction (Ps 1:5-6; Ps 2:12).
The unity of Psalms 1-2 as a preface to the Psalter is supported by the following parallels:
- The use of אַשְׁרֵי in Ps 1:1 and Ps 2:12 forms an inclusio that brackets and unites the content within these two psalms
- Neither psalm has a superscription
- Neither psalm is technically a prayer addressed to the Lord
- The “way” (דֶּרֶךְ) of the wicked is contrasted with the “way” of the righteous (Ps 1:1, 6; Ps 2:12)
- The end of the wicked is destruction (אָבַד Ps 1:6; 2:12)
- The righteous man “meditates” (יֶהְגֶּ֗ה Ps 1:2) on the תּוֹרָה of the Lord, while the wicked voice their anger (יֶהְגּו) against the Lord’s yoke over them (Ps 2:1)
- Further shared vocabulary can be seen:
- יֹומָ֥ם (Ps 1:2) and הַיֹּ֥ום (Ps 2:7)
- כְּעֵץ (Ps 1:3), כַּ֝מֹּ֗ץ (Ps 1:4), and כִּכְלִ֖י (Ps 2:9)
- עַֽל (Ps 1:3 and Ps 2:2, 6)
- יִתֵּ֬ן (Ps 1:3) and וַ֝אֲחֻזָּתְך (Ps 2:8)
- בְּעִתֹּ֗ו (Ps 1:3) and וְ֭עַתָּה (Ps 2:10)
- וְכֹ֖ל (Ps 1:3) and כָּל (Ps 2:12)
- בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט (Ps 1:5) and שֹׁ֣פְטֵי אָֽרֶץ (Ps 2:10)[3]
In the 148 psalms that follow, these key themes will be nearly impossible to miss and will serve as a handy guide for what we should look for and expect to find as we sing God’s praises together.
Prof. Andrew Hussman serves as professor at Luther Preparatory School.
[1] Moses, the author of Psalm 90, lived in the 15th century BC, while at least one psalm (Ps 137) can be dated to the period of the Babylonian captivity in the 6th century BC.
[2] John F. Brug, A Commentary on Psalms, 2 vols., (Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Publishing House, 2004), 1:113; C. Hassell Bullock, Psalms, 2 vols., Teach the Text Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2015), 1:16.
[3] This list is comprised of similar lists found in Gianni Barbiero, “Psalms 35-41 as the Conclusion of Book I of the Psalms,” in The Formation of the Hebrew Psalter, eds., Barbiero et al. (Tübingen, Germany: Mohr Siebeck, 2021), 291 fn 11; Bullock, Psalms, 1:16; Robert L. Cole, Psalms 1-2: Gateway to the Psalter (Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2013), 87; Susan Gillingham, A Journey of Two Psalms: The Reception of Psalms 1 and 2 in Jewish and Christian Tradition (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2013), 4-7.
Systematic Theology: Baptism Saves
Jesus saves through baptism. 1 Peter 3:21 is clear: “Baptism now saves you.” Baptismal regeneration seems like it would be a given among those with a high view of Scripture, yet baptismal regeneration is rejected by many. “Sure, the Bible says that. But that’s not all it says. You have your verses, and I have mine.”
I’m not sure how common conversations like this are in your life, but I’ve had more than a few. Many struggle to reconcile Sola Fide and a baptism that saves. “Doesn’t the Bible say that we are saved by grace through faith? You have your verses. That’s mine.”
My brother, you have all the verses.
Peter speaks of how the great flood pointed forward to a baptism that saves. Baptism is consistent with a God whose deliverance for you will always be outside of you, and for you. Note the present tense of God’s saving verb. Peter did not write these words to those with water still dripping from their foreheads but to those who had been baptized earlier. Peter’s audience carried the heavy cross of persecution. You were baptized, sure, but you are now baptized. This gift still saves you when you bear your crosses.
“But baptism cannot save. Only the death and resurrection of Jesus can save.”
They might point out the many once-baptized atheists currently on a path that leads to hell. Baptism is the gospel. Baptism can be rejected in the same way the preached gospel can be rejected. The gospel may look powerless, but it is the power that allows anyone to believe.
The Bible shows how the cross, tomb, water, and Word work together in powerful harmony. You were buried with Christ in baptism. You are raised to new life through him. Christ’s cross and empty tomb cannot be divorced from those saving waters.[1] God’s grace in baptism has power and creates faith.
When Satan attacks the faithful, your baptism exposes Satan’s lie. No, God has not abandoned you. No, you are not too far gone. No, you are not helpless against the problems you face, nor left alone to deal with the problems you caused. You are forgiven and returned to your baptism. You are cleansed in the blood of the Lamb. You are dead to sin because you are buried with Christ. You are born again and raised with Christ Jesus. You are saved by grace through faith in God’s promises.
Christians are saved through faith alone. Baptism is no human work, but a saving gift God freely provides. If one holds to Sola Fide, they will put their trust in God and what God says about baptism. Baptism saves because God does saving work. Jesus includes the Word and baptism as the gifts he provides that will make disciples until he returns again in glory.
Rev. Patrick Freese serves as pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Abita Springs, LA.
[1] See Colossians 2:12 and Romans 6:4.
Historical Theology: Teaching Church History, Part 2: Church History Is Fascinating
When I received my first call as a tutor at Michigan Lutheran Seminary, I was thrilled—until I learned I’d be Objection to teaching church history #1: “I don’t know that much about church history, and let’s be honest, it’s kind of boring.”
Not knowing much about church history is certainly a barrier to teaching it, but not an insurmountable one. On the one hand, teaching is one of the best ways to learn a subject more deeply. On the other hand, so many resources are available, no matter what medium you prefer. If you’re looking for a solid book that covers a large portion of church history, here are some recommendations:
- Church History – Everett Ferguson
- Church History in Plain Language – Bruce Shelley
- The Ancient and Medieval Church (to A.D. 1400) – Glen Thompson
- The Story of Christianity – Justo González (2 vols)
- The Story of Christian Theology – Roger Olson
Of course, none of these resources will be very helpful if you still think church history is boring. Yet I’m guessing you love listening to your members’ stories and hearing how God has worked in their lives to bring them to where they are today. That’s church history! One reason many of us disconnect from history—especially ancient history—is that the people seem faceless and distant. We don’t know their personalities and personal stories or have any connection to them.
This can easily happen when a history book or class quickly covers a large amount of material and doesn’t intentionally help us consider what the people involved were thinking or feeling. It’s like watching a movie that only has a plot and no characterization. Without personal stories to latch onto, even the most interesting plot falls flat. (The other ditch—getting bogged down by insignificant and irrelevant details—will be discussed in a future article.)
In church history, however, we do have a personal connection to the people involved: Christ! These are our spiritual ancestors through whom God passed down the truth of his Word to us. Their stories are fascinating, if we pause to consider the real-life struggles they faced and the real grace of God in their lives.
Consider how these teaching scenarios bring history to life and help connect the saints of the past to God’s people today:
It’s 252 AD, and persecution has just ended in Carthage. Some Christians (even church leaders!) denied Christ or bribed officials for fake certificates. Now they’re repentant and want to return. Some welcome them with penance. Others, like Novatian, say the lapsed can never come back. Can they come back? If so, what does that look like?
It’s 417 AD in Hippo. Your family is now part of the Christian majority. But with comfort comes complacency. Fewer attend worship, Scripture isn’t memorized, and Christian values seem to be assumed more than taught. How do you raise your children to truly follow Christ when the whole empire claims to be Christian but doesn’t really live it?
Approaching church history with this kind of personal perspective makes these true stories more enlightening, engaging, relevant, relatable, and fascinating—anything but boring.history.
Rev. Nathanael Jensen serves as pastor at Cross of Christ Lutheran in Las Cruces, NM.
Practical Theology: Old Testament Stories in the Pastor’s Hands, Part 1
A confirmation student recently asked me, “Who is Abraham?” Where to start that explanation? Biblical literacy is low and Old Testament literacy is lower. A recent Lifeway study[1] asked Protestant churchgoers to name a favorite Old Testament story. Ten percent couldn’t name a single one, another eleven percent accidentally named a New Testament story. Together that’s one out of five people who attend church regularly. In the same survey, 61 percent of participants assumed that the Romulus-and-Remus legend was in the Old Testament.
How do you think your congregation would fare? I’d like to think mine would do better, but to hope that there are no biblically illiterate people in our pews is to wish for no new members or no children in faith. In other words, the survey represents the field we’re working in or want to be working in.
Brent Strawn’s book The Old Testament Is Dying provides a helpful diagnosis. He argues the Old Testament is like a dying language slipping into “pidgin” and then “creole”: simplified, shallow, and eventually replaced by something that sounds Bible-ish but isn’t the language of Moses, David, or the Prophets—certainly not how Jesus speaks. That rings true for me. I hear many caricatures of the Old Testament today, with prosperity clichés on one side, the “angry God” on the other, and general ignorance in between.
As pastors we may know it well, but how are we passing on the Old Testament tongue to our people? After all, the Old Testament makes up roughly three-quarters of the words God has given us. Does your ministry reflect that proportion? I’m not saying you must spend 75% of your time in the Old Testament, but think about the texts you preached on in the past year. Look at your Bible studies. Consider the stories you like to tell in counseling. How many are from the Old Testament? If Strawn is right about the Old Testament becoming a “dying language,” then pastors are among its last fluent speakers.
So how can we fight against this giant of Old Testament illiteracy? We can tell stories.
Over the next four articles, I will make the case for telling Christ-centered Old Testament stories, provide practical ideas, and highlight the many indirect blessings they produce. But for now, like David who chose five smooth stones from a stream, I suggest learning five Old Testament stories you want to tell from memory with precision (e.g., Exodus 14; 2 Samuel 11–12; 2 Kings 5; Jonah; Daniel 3). Read them repeatedly and then practice telling them out loud. Practice on your kids, your shut-ins, your catechism class.
So many Old Testament stories are buried in the streambed of our Bibles—let’s collect them and prepare to let them fly. When the moment comes in pastoral care, you’ll have a story in hand ready to sling.
Rev. Peter Schlicht serves as pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in West Bend, WI.
[1] Lifeway Research OT literacy report (Aug 2024).